Device for marking traveling strip



1959 J. R. LANE 2,913,978

- DEVICE FOR MARKING TRAVELING STRIP Filed July 7, 1955 JOHN R. LANE,

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DEVICE FOR'MARKING TRAVELING STRIP John R. Lane, Pittsburg, Califl, assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application July 7, 1955, Serial No. 520,428 2 Claims. -(Cl. 101-4) This invention relates to an improved device for marking traveling strip.

In the manufacture of'metal sheets it is customary to convey rapidly moving continuous strip through various automatic inspecting devices immediately before shearing it into sheets. These devices control operation of defiectors located after the shear. When an inspecting device detects a defect, such as a pinhole or an off-gauge area, it actuates a deflector at the proper moment to di vert the sheet containing this defect from the prime sheets. Some installations also include a marker located before the shear and controlled by the pinhole detector for applying marks on the strip in transverse alignment with pinholes. Such marks facilitate subsequent identification of sheets actually containing pinholes when the diverted sheets are hand assorted, for example to salvage primes or sheets susceptible to reconditioning. The marker of my invention is intended especially for installations of this type, although obviously it may have other application where similar problems are encountered.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved marker which applies only a single mark on strip each time it operates, thereby eliminating any tendency for the marks to overrun the sheet actually containing the pinhole, or unnecessarily defacing even this sheet.

A more specific object is to provide a rotary type marker which operates on a rebound principle, that is, each time the rotary marking element operates it instantly rebounds to its non-marking position.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a marker constructed in accordance with my invention; and

Figure 2 is an elevational view taken at right angles to Figure l.

The marker of my invention includes a base supported adjacent one edge of the pass line of a strip S. A stand 12 is mounted in a slideway 13 in the upper face of this base for adjustment toward and away from the strip edge and is held in adjusted position by a bolt 14. Adjusting the stand enables the marker to accommodate different widths of strip. The lower portion of the stand 12 includes a ledge 15 whose upper face carries a wear plate 16 over which the underside of the strip rides. The central portion of the stand 12 carries a pair of opposed, horizontally projecting angles 17 which support a solenoid winding 18. The upper portion of the stand carries a bracket 19 in which an eyebolt 20 is mounted. The eyebolt carries a depending coil spring 21 whose lower end is attached to a normally retracted solenoid plunger 22 which extends through the winding 18. A link 23 is rigidly aflixed to the lower end of the plunger 22, and a carrier 24 is pivoted at one end to the underside of said link. An eyebolt 25 is connected to the other end of the carrier 24 and extends upwardly through a slot 26 in the link 23. The upper portion of the eyebolt 25 carries "ice nuts 27 and an encircling coil spring 28. A marking wheel 29 is journaled on the carrier 24 overlying but normally clearing the strip, and its circumference carries suitable raised embossing means.

In a typical installation my marker would be located between a pinhole detector and a shear which severs the strip into sheets. When a pinhole in the strip passes the detector, the latter completes a circuit which momentarily energizes the solenoid winding 18. The detector, shear and operating circuit are not shown, since they can be of any standard or desired construction, and per se are not part of my invention. Reference can be made to Viebahn et al. Patent No. 2,246,906, dated June 24, 1941, or 'Chamberlin et al. Patent No. 2,312,626, dated March 2, 1943, for exemplary showings of these parts.

In operation, when the solenoid winding 18 is energized, the plunger 22 moves downwardly a limited distance against the action of the spring 21. This distance is controlled by conventional stop means within the solenoid, and is not far enough for the marking wheel 29 to contact the strip S. Since energization is only momentary, the spring quickly pulls the plunger back. As the plunger moves downwardly, the link 23, carrier 24 and marking wheel 29 of course move with it. As the plunger returns, inertia continues to throw the carrier and marking wheel downwardly about the pivotal connection to the link and against the force of the spring 28. The marking wheel contacts the upper face of the strip S and commences to apply a mark thereon. However, compression in the spring 28 is adjusted so that the carrier and wheel quickly rebound after the latter contacts the strip independently of the return motion of the plunger. Therefore the mark on the strip is of short length and there is little likelihood of its overrunning the sheet actually defective. It is seen that the duration of contact between the marking Wheel and strip is not governed by the duration of solenoid energization, but by the adjustment in the compression of spring 28.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A strip marking device comprising a stand adapted to be positioned adjacent the edge of a moving strip, a wear plate fixed to said stand and adapted to contact the underside of the strip, a solenoid winding supported on said stand and spaced above said wear plate, a bracket supported on said stand above said winding, a vertically movable solenoid plunger in said winding, a spring depending from said bracket and normally holding said plunger in a raised position, said plunger being lowered a limited distance against the action of said spring and returned when said winding is momentarily energized, a link fixed to the lower end of said plunger beneath said winding, a carrier pivoted at one end to the underside of said link at one end of the latter, said link having an opening adjacent its other end, an upstanding member connected to the other end of said carrier and extending through said opening, a compression spring encircling said upstanding member and normally holding said carrier in a raised position abutting said link, and a marking Wheel journaled to said carrier and spaced above said wear plate, said carrier and marking wheel being movable downwardly about the pivotal mounting of the carrier beyond said limited distance by inertia against the action of said compression spring to enable the marking wheel to contact the strip momentarily and rebound independently of the return motion of said plunger.

2. A strip marking device comprising a stand adapted to be positioned adjacent the edge of a moving strip, a

projection fixed to said stand and adapted to contact the underside of the strip, a solenoid winding supported on said stand and spaced above said projection, a vertically movable solenoid plunger in said winding, spring means normally holding said plunger in a raised position, said plunger being lowered a limited distance against the action of said spring means and returned when said Winding is momentarily energized, a link fixed to the lower end of said plunger beneath said winding, a carrier pivoted at one end to the underside of said link at one end of the latter, spring means acting between said link and carrier at their other ends normally holding said carrier in a raised position with respect to said link, and a marking wheel journaled to said carrier and spaced above said projection, said carrier and marking wheel being movable downwardly about the pivotal mounting of the carrier beyond said limited distance by inertia against the action of said last named spring means to enable the marking wheel to contact the strip momentarily and rebound independently of the return motion of said plunger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

